# MOO and VRML 2.0 ?

"Robert J. Brown" (rj@eli.wariat.org)
Sat, 17 Feb 1996 12:27:26 PST

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    >>>>> "'Keith" == 'Keith Weston' <jkweston@email.unc.edu> writes:

        'Keith> I want to cast a vote to keep MOO text-based and
        'Keith> non-graphical as much as possible.

    I agree with this, for more than just bandwidth reasons, or "critical
    mass of cobbled up software" reasons.  My reasons are psychological.
    I think that a MOO and its text based VR is like a book, as compared
    to animated video VR, which is like a movie.  Any teacher will tell
    you that for a student to read, the mind must use imagination to fill
    in the details of textual description.  Text can also describe
    emotions and feelings that video completely misses.  It can call
    attention to certain details, such as the exact shade of green the
    dress she wore on our first date was, whereas in video, its just a
    green dress -- no different from the green grass.

    Especially for education and literature, text based is far superior.
    Only when visual aids are appropriate, such as disecting a fetal pig,
    or whatever, are images helpful.  Moving images really help in certain
    kinds of training, but for education of the mind in concepts like
    creativity or interpretation, text is king!

    This is not to say I am no interested in animated video VR, but that
    MOO shouold stay what it was designed to be, and something GNOO
    (pronounced "new") should be implemented for the other stuff.

    --
    -----------  "...  And the men went up and viewed Ai."  [Jos 7:2]  -----------
    Robert Jay Brown III  rj@eli.wariat.org  http://eli.wariat.org  1 847 705-0370
    Elijah Laboratories Inc;  759 Independence Drive;  Suite 5;  Palatine IL 60074
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